Sigh. My X3 hasn't even been delivered yet and I'm already considering mods! Been reading way too much bimmerfest!

I, like a few others, am not a wood-trim person. I liked the brushed aluminum except for the circles. Which left me with nothing that I really liked for the 3.0. Bummer since I'm really psyched about the car in every other way! I've read about another person having their dealer swap the wood trim with the matte titanium from a 2.5 (haven't seen it the matte titanium personally, but pix look good). But my local dealer is small, they don't have any 2.5s readily available for swapping, and they thought it would be expensive to order the matte titanium kit (meaning they wouldn't do it for me for free). So I'm considering buying an after-market trim kit and installing it myself. I found one from Veneerz that looks good on their website, but I thought the price was actually a bit on the low side, especially for a 32-piece kit. ($144 for the Real Brushed Aluminum)
http://www.veneerz.com/shop.php?shop_action=show_kit_details&kit_id=BWX304A

Does anyone else have aftermarket trim? How does it look and how is it holding up?

mysticbluex3

03-28-2005, 02:20 PM

I wouldn't do it. First the aftermarket trim kits look really cheesy. They are thick and don't cover the orinigal trim.

mdbmw

03-28-2005, 03:40 PM

I just bought a x5 and am in the same boat you are. I love the look of the titanuim but what I have found with the aftermarket trim kits.....it is not the same pieces as the factory trim. So really your adding trim but it does not replace the trim you already have. I have seen some factory trim kits on ebay - selling between $400-700 - at least for the x5 - these are the correct pieces. If you order one of the aftermarket sets I would love to know what you think.... I posted this question on the x5 site knowing someone has had to of done this but.....no responses.

climrgrl

03-28-2005, 08:02 PM

Yeah, I saw some on eBay too, but only the wood and aluminum w/ circles, not the "matte titanium".

.....it is not the same pieces as the factory trim. So really your adding trim but it does not replace the trim you already have.
This 62-piece kit does include all 5 of the stock trim pieces (shifter plus front and back door handles):
http://www.veneerz.com/showpic.php?path=images%2Fkit_diagrams&pic=BWX304D.GIF&description=BMW+X3%2C+With+Automatic+Climate+Contr ol%2C+Full+Kit%2C+62+Pcs..

....but if I understand mysticbluex3 correctly, the install procedure is to just stick them over your existing pieces? You don't take the existing pieces off and swap them out? If so, that's kind of lame....and I understand how that would look cheesy! Much better to pay extra, but actually swap the pieces out.

ICEBERG

03-29-2005, 09:47 AM

I would stick with OEM parts from BMW. The after market ones don't fit as good. I wanted to get an after market trim for my MB but after i saw on few benzes i changed my mind. They did not look so good.